Maduako Igbokwe l Sunday, March 20, 2022
ONITSHA, Nigeria – People Democratic Party (PDP), Vice Presidential candidate in the 2019 general election Mr. Peter Obi has called on federal government to suspend all political activities ahead of 2023 and address problems of the country.
According to Obi ,suspending political activities will enable the federal government to address numerous challenges facing the country before next year.
Former governor of Anambra State stated this after a warm reception in honour of the President of Afrikbank, Dr. Benedick Okey Oramah who was honoured with Doctorate Degree on Development Economics at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, 15/16 Convocation ceremony.
Obi said that Nigeria problem is more than 2023 election, hence the need to address those challenges before election.
“If possible, to suspend all political activities for now and focused on how to address the lingering fuel scarcity and other societal challenges confronting Nigerians at the moment” he said .
According to him, if things continued, this way the electorates may not have the appetite to participate fully in the 2023 electoral process.
He said something must be done to minimize the suffering of the masses , particularly, the fuel and the continue Academic Staff Union Union ASUU strike saga. Obi said that Nigeria is in worse economic mess today because it failed to implement the right policies and refused to allow those with skills and God fearing heart to govern.
He listed challenges that may likely hinder full participation of voters during the forthcoming elections to include; hike in transportation fare due to scarcity of fuel, kidnapping, unknown gunmen, ritual killings, ASUU strike, lack of jobs for teaming youth and cultism.
“In my observation as a true democrat, I can tell you that several businesses are shutting down, especially as the fuel crisis worsens. Millions of Nigerians can not longer afford three square meal and there is high rate of prostitution among young ladies.
“Farmers are not free from the situation, with repeated threats from bandits, who have taken over most of the farm settlement, especially in the northern part of Nigeria.
“It has been proved everywhere in the World that the more educated society, a country is, better for development. There only way we can measure development is through Human Development Index (HDI), which is hindering in education if you check countries that have same trajectory like Nigeria. For instance, in the year 2000, Bangladesh, Ghana, to mention but few, which have same low Human Development Index (HDI) with Nigeria, have moved from low-medium while Nigeria remain in same low position.
In the year 2010, Nigeria’s per capital was 2,250 dollars while Bangladesh is 780 per capital, because the country invested in education, thereby pulling people out of poverty. Today, their per capital is 2,650, ours is still 2000, meaning that Nigeria’s economy is collapsing .
“More Nigerians are getting poorer, Universities are closed, those that are working can longer live on their salaries and their income while we politicians are here busy talking about 2023 general election. Is it what we are suppose to be doing now? We should be pre-ocupied on how we will put better food on their table. Bread and other foodstuffs are on the high side. Politics is all about caring for the people that elected you into power and the society at large” .
Obi, therefore, urged Nigerians to always vote for people with competent capacity with the fear of God for political offices
Mr. Benedict Okey Oramah, the President of the African Export – Import Bank (Afreximbank), on his brief remark, said his major commitment at the moment is to assist the government of Nigeria to stabilise the economy and place the country on the path of growth.
